Photography: Isabelle Dargue, Ellie Williams, Bradley Sansom and Natalie Carragher

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Manchester’s streets were transformed into a vibrant sea of lights and colour on Saturday as Lights Up 2025 brought together more than 200 cyclists for a night-time ride across the city. 

The free, community-led event organised by Bee Pedal Ready and Station South in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, We Are Cycling UK, MCRActive, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Starling Bikes, aims to make cycling safer and inclusive for women and girls after dark.

Riders gathered at All Saints Park on Oxford Road, sharing coffee and snacks before setting off after sunset towards Victoria Baths. Illuminated by fairy lights and reflective gear, the group cycled past the Manchester Met’s School of Digital Art and through several of Manchester’s parks and neighbourhoods to raise awareness of the challenges women face when cycling at night, including safety concerns and poor visibility.

Reflecting on the third instalment of the event, organiser and Manchester mayor of cycling Belinda Everett said: “There have been way more sign-ups this year than ever before, which means that people want to get involved in the campaign. People feel very strongly about having much safer streets for women and girls.”

Belinda added: “The inequality in the UK – and globally – is not as it should be, and a lot needs to change. I think that having more people here every year shows that people want change.”

Addressing the crowd ahead of the ride, Councillor Tracey Rawlins said: “Let’s all be safe, be happy, let’s all be together and let this be the start. Let’s see more and more of our bikes at night, over the winter with our lights, and light up the city while cycling.”

Participants described the ride as “joyful,” “fun,” “empowering,” and “full of colour,” with music, illuminated bikes, and a strong sense of community keeping spirits high throughout.

Attendee Alison Bell returned to cycling following her friend’s breast cancer diagnosis: “My friend had breast cancer actually and so I started cycling again. I joined a cycling club to keep fit and then I joined a cycling in the club, it’s like a companionship for me.

She added: “I want women – and just everyone – to get together and feel more confident cycling on the road. I like cycling in a group because I feel more secure rather than on my own. Cycling makes me feel empowered because it keeps me fit and it just makes me feel better about myself and happier.”

Bee Pedal Ready member and cyclist Angie Weir, said: “Cycling can be scary, but it’s freeing. I want to see more consideration for cyclists and I want more women to be able to cycle at night. We’d have to do this in groups [for safety], which is why I only come to this one.”

The ride concluded at Victoria Baths, where the celebrations continued with food, music and a bespoke exhibition curated by student-led arts and culture publication aAh! Magazine – Manchester Metropolitan University’s student magazine.

Introducing the exhibition, Belinda highlighted her partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University, and Multimedia Journalism senior lecturer Natalie Carragher, whom she described as “formidable” and the “driving force” behind the exhibition. This year’s instalment builds on their work from last year during the city’s European Capital of Cycling celebrations, further promoting safer and more inclusive cycling for women and girls.

Belinda said: “This is the second year working with the students from aAh! Magazine for the Lights Up event, and their work just keeps getting better and better. Seeing Victoria Baths come alive with the creativity and talent from the students is – as one participant said – ‘the cherry on the cake’ to our campaign. The aAh! Magazine students really do capture the important message, as well as keeping it fun and light, which is very much what Lights Up is about. From screen-printed illustrated t-shirts to photography, art, and even a hand-drawn picture of me, their work is outstanding.”

Encouraging guests to explore the exhibition and engage with its interactive elements, Belinda stressed the value of participation and shared experiences in driving meaningful change.

The aAh! X Lights Up exhibition showcased photography, illustration and graphic design centred on themes of women’s cycling, representation, safety and visibility, using the historic swimming baths as a dramatic backdrop for the colourful artwork.

Multimedia Journalism lecturer and exhibition lead Natalie Carragher said: “Following the success of last year’s Lights Up exhibition, which led to showcases at Manchester Central Library and other community venues including Station South, we’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with Bee Pedal Ready for this year’s exhibition at Victoria Baths.

“This partnership not only allows our students to explore important topics around community and wellbeing, but also gives them valuable opportunities to develop their skills, work on live briefs, and share their work with a wider audience.

“It’s fantastic to see our students reaching new audiences and creating meaningful opportunities, and even more rewarding to know that their creativity is helping raise awareness, spark important conversations around women’s safety, and show how cycling can be a force for empowerment, connection and accessibility for all.”

Natalie added: “We’ve received some excellent feedback so far, with guests keen to purchase prints and artwork from our student artists, and invitations to host further shows in the community. The interactive artwork has gone down really well too, encouraging people to share their experiences and opinions of cycling in the city — making the guests themselves part of the artwork.”

Organisers further highlighted the event’s dual focus – combining fun, festival-style cycling event with a strong social message. By drawing attention to under-representation and safety challenges, Lights Up 2025 hopes to demonstrate how public events can empower communities while transforming perceptions of urban spaces after dark and making streets safer for women and girls.

Research by the London Cycling Campaign found that 24% of official cycle-network routes were ‘socially unsafe’ after dark, and that one in three women stop cycling altogether in winter. Belinda said: “I am going to keep doing this event because we’re nowhere near where we should be.”

Reflecting on the community ethos of the event, Belinda added: “My favourite part of Lights Up is seeing everyone ‘blinging up’ their bikes and coming together. I love the community spirit before the ride. Usually people turn up to an event, and they’re just waiting for it to start, but here everyone is decorating their bikes together and checking in with one another.”

“It’s empowering to see not only the number of women here but also the number of men and young kids that are here as well. I think it just shows that the next generation is taking, through their families, an interest politically in what’s happening as regards to this particular agenda. And it’s also incredible to see males supporting us.”

Lights Up is organised in collaboration with partners including Manchester Metropolitan University, Bee Pedal Ready, Station South, We Are Cycling UK, MCRActive, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Starling Bikes. It encourages safer and more inclusive cycling environments across the city and has been instrumental in raising awareness of the challenges women face while cycling after dark.